The intense first four days of the XXXVIII World Youth Day (WYD) have permeated the life of over half a million young people who welcomed Pope Francis on August 3, 2023 in the heart of Lisbon (Portugal). They gathered at Parque Eduardo VII, which was renamed “Hill of Encounter,” as a sign of the profound significance of this WYD, which underlines: relationship with God, with oneself and then with others, to build a peaceful, sustainable and fraternal world.
With the cry of “God loves everyone,” in a Church where there is room for everyone, Francis officially inaugurated the World Youth Day which the media has amply covered in Portugal.
However, what risks being overlooked is the important work of updating that the Church, in the most universal sense of the term, has carried out so that this World Day could be a place where young people “find themselves” in their questions, in their conscious or unconscious search for God to have him as a partner in their lives; in the creation of spaces for sharing, inspiration and mutual listening. This process has involved young people, their teachers, priests and bishops, and many ecclesial realities.
“Rise Up” Meetings: spaces to think, share and be inspired
Undoubtedly one of the biggest novelties of this WYD are the “Rise Up” meetings, the new model of catechesis which invites the young people to reflect on the major themes addressed during the pontificate of Pope Francis: integral ecology, social friendship and universal brotherhood, and mercy.
There are 270 meetings held in 30 languages, all linked to the general theme of the WYD: “Mary arose and went with haste” (Lk 1:39).
The Focolare Movement has been involved in the Rise Up meetings, offering 3 half-day appointments for English-speaking pilgrims, attended by an average of 5,000 young people a day. Eunice, a member of the organizing team told us, “I immediately felt responsible. The theme of this WYD inspires me a lot: I, too, feel driven to get up and go quickly, like Mary; I feel a strong motivation to give more, to overcome limits, tiredness and difficulties, as she did when she went to visit Elizabeth. She didn’t stop, but she loved.” Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare, shared the stage with Cardinal Patrick O’Malley from Boston (USA), Archbishop Anthony Fisher from Sydney (Australia), and Bishop Robert Barron from Winona-Rochester in Minnesota (USA).
Teenagers at the WYD in Lisbon
Experiencing God’s love and taking it wherever you are or feel called to be, was the thread running through the meetings, enlivened by music, prayer and a lot of sharing. Pete, from the United States, at his first WYD, said, “I felt that after a year and a half of ‘isolation,’ after COVID, something in me had changed. I decided to get involved and come with my diocese. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, meet young people from other countries, and see how they deal with problems. I still have many questions; I have found some answers here.”
For the young people from Slovakia, it was a big decision to come and open up to people of other cultures and ways of doing things. They were greatly looking forward to what the Pope would say to them. “We are sure that his words will remain in our hearts forever and will help us in the different situations of life.”
This meeting one another, recognizing each other as brothers and sisters, is perhaps the most characteristic feature of this event. That is why personal stories are central to the Rise Up meetings.
Real life at the Center of it all
One example is Lucas who lives in the Brazilian Amazon. At the WYD in Panama, he was captivated by the person of Jesus. When he went home with about twenty young people, he got involved in a project to help the indigenous communities of his country. They spent a fortnight with a team of doctors, nurses and psychologists who brought aid, treatment and support to many people who live far from treatment centers. Lucas said, “It was an incredible experience: giving myself from morning to night, without stopping. The Amazon Project has made me grow a lot as a person. The first result of all this is me: I have changed. I am no longer the same.”
Sofia, a youth from Argentina, talked about her existential journey, her search for meaning in her life. At one point, she heard about Blessed Chiara Luce Badano whose yes to God, even in her pain, gave her the strength to dedicate her life to God, following the spirituality of the Focolare Movement.
And we could go on and on because we have heard many testimonies, as well as the answers of bishops and leaders to questions of the young people.
Pat, aged 19, from Sydney (Australia), said, “I came to this WYD with a group of friends. This is important to me because I believe that we need others in order to make a difference in the world, and to make personal decisions. Loneliness is a challenge for many young people my age, and I want to do something about it, loving my friends to start with. Here I understood that this is the right path.”
These young people have many questions and fears as well. But there’s more: they want to open up, to learn; they come from very different backgrounds and experiences, yet they have all come to meet Pope Francis, to discover God in their lives, and to meet friends with whom to share this discovery. This is the heart of the young people’s journey in the 2023 WYD in Lisbon.
Stefania Tanesini
